Lost and Found: Trump, Biden, and White Working-Class Voters

In the 2016 election, Donald Trump garnered the support of two out of every three white voters without a college education. Making up more than sixty percent of Trump voters in the last election, these working- and lower-middle-class white Americans were instrumental in the Republican’s victory. Their votes will likely be just as influential in the upcoming presidential election. This article has three purposes. First, it explains why Donald Trump was so successful with non-college-educated white (NCEW) voters in 2016. Second, it analyzes the impact of the Trump presidency on these Americans’ welfare and political affiliations. Finally, it assesses Joe Biden’s capacity to appeal to this group in November’s election.